Means for increasing the efficiency of fuel for motive power.



' l W. C. n F. WELLS.

MEANS POB INGREASNG THE EFFICIENCY @F FUEL POE MOTWB POWER.

APPLIQATIGN Hman Dfw. 'sLlsi-e.

Paemse Jane 9, 19M..

1N VENTORS combustion beingY I I nSnTEDv sTATEs PATENT OFFICE;

vWiLLET o1 WELLS AND FRANK E. WELLS, or COLUMBUS, oHIo.

M'iEANs Fon INCREASING THE'EEEICIENCY or EUELEOR i'vioTIvE rdwnn.

' Application filed December To all fui/tom it may concern Be it known and FRANK E. WELLS, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful lmprovcments in Means for Increasing the Eficiency of Fuel for Motive `Power, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description, skilled in the art to whichA it.- appertains to make and use the same. l

Our invention pertains to apparatus for converting the chemical energy of fuel into mechanical force, without loss of heat en` orgy, by expanding compressed air by the heat and gases of combustion of fuel, said supported by the conipressed air to be thus expanded. The thus expanded compressed air being applied direct to a turbine motor; the volume of the thus expanded compressed air, thus applied, being regulated to meet the varying requirements of the motor. The pressure of the compressed air entering the furnace being practically uniform, it follows that the pressure within the furnace remains substantially uniform notwithstanding the volume taken from the furnace is variable.

Our apparatus consists of an air compressor, adapted to supply a variable volume of uniformly compressed air;` and' compressed air storage; a furnace, with means for replenishing fuel therein under air pressure,` and in which compressed air Supports the combustion of said fuel; a turbine motor actuated by the heat expa rded compressed air; and a governor that proportions the volume of the heat expanded compressed air to the requirements of the motor, and thereby, because of uniform pressure of compressed air entering the furnace automatically governs the quantity of compressed air to be heated to meet the requirements of the motor; and means for actuating the said air compressor.

In the accompanying drawings describing our apparat-ust-Figure 1 .is a vertical cross-v section of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a'reverse side view of motor ando mpressor with outline connections. 'Figf is a view of furnace base, showing natural draft intake valve.

Part marked A is an air compressor.

B is a compressed air holder.

G is a furnace.

is a turbine motor.

Specification of Letters Patent.

that we, WiLLET C. lVELLs l such as will enable those Patented J une 9, i914. 31,11904. semaine. 239,256.

E is a conduit pipe, withl stop valve E leading from air compressor ,A to compressed air holder B.

` is a. conduit pipe, with Stop valve l?" leading' from compressed air holder B to furnace base C. i y

G'is a conduit pipe, lealing from furnace tv to motorD.'

H is an air pressure regulator.

J is a fuel feeding hopper in connection with furnace C throughupper and lower stop valves K and K fed into the magazine cf furnace C.

L and L are stop-valves through` which, when open, furnace C has natural4 draft.v

Shaft M of motor D supports pulley M and reducing' gear connections N and O' to crank shaft P of air compressor A. This transmission may be substituted by direct connected dynamo, or other means. Compressed air holder B may receive its initial charge by hand, or from other source. Thus to operate, valves L and L when open, permit natural draft to support combustion in furnace C. When the furnace is sufficiently heated valves E and F leading' to and 'from compressed air holder B are gradually opened, and valvesLand L are closed, ther by delivering heated compressed air and the gases of combustion through conduit G to motor D. The pressure of the compressed air entering the furnace being; practically uniform, notwithstanding* great variation in its volume, therefore the pressure within the furnace remains substantially uniform howwith governor GQ through which fuel is) over1 variable may be the demands upon the heat expanded gases for power, andthe supply of heat expanded gases and the Supply of compressed air to be heated is therefore in exact relation to the requirements of the motor as determined by governor G. XVe claim z* l. An apparatus for converting the chemical energy of fuel into mechanical force by expanding compressed air by the heat and gases of combustion, supported by said compressed air comprising a furnace .in which said combustion takes place, an air compressor arranged to supply to said furnace a variable volume of uniformly compressed air, a motor in direct communication with said furnace operated by the heat expanded compressed gases therefrom, and a governor adapted to regulate the dow of said gas from said furnace to said motor.

nel .ener expanda compi @sed air by the heat and j; ot' eoznbuetioe supported by said oompr( sed airj comprising a furnace in which said comlmstion takes place?` an air coxnpresser ur xged to deliver to said furnace a variable wlume of uniformly compressed air, a motor in direct communication with said furnace operated by the heat expanded compressed gases therefrom, connections for operating said' compressor from said motor anda governor adapted to regulate the supply omnpreeeed air to said furnace in Vmporlicui to the motor loud.

3. ,An ammratus for converting the chemical energy of '.tiel into` mechanical force by expanding compressed air by the heat and gases el combustion supported by said comfuressed air. comprising a furnace in Which said combustima takes place, an air coniprez-ssor arranged to supply to said furnace a variable volume of uniformly compressed air, a motor, a conduit constructedto prerent loss of heat energy1 providing communication from said furnace to said motor :for conveying the heat expanded compressed gases to said motor to operate the saule, and

,.z'luel into mechanical force by' duit constructed to prevent loss of heat energy, providing communication from said furnace to said mot-or tol operate the same,

a gorernor adapted to regulate the volume of the outflow of said ases from said furnace 'to meet the 'varia le requirements of said motor, and an an' compressor arranged to supply to said furnace a volume of uni- 'lormly compressed air, varying with the requirements of the motor. l

1n testimony whereof We alix our signatures, in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLET C. WELLS.

FRANK E. WELLS.

lVtnesses B. G. WrrrsoN, A. C. lVAasoN. 

